THEY HAVE NOT SAID WHETHER THE DEATH IS CONSIDERED SPACIOUS. THE IDEA OF EXPANDING A PRE-K EDUCATION HERE IN MARYLAND IS MEETING SOME RESISTANCE IN ANNAPOLIS. IT IS THE COST OF UNIVERSAL EXPANSION THAT CONCERNS SOME LEGISLATORS. DAVID COLLINS JOINS US LIVE FROM THE STATEHOUSE WITH THE VERY LATEST. THIS BILL PROVIDES 4.3 MILLION DOLLARS FOR PRE-K EXPANSION. IT IS WHAT HAPPENS DOWN THE ROAD THAT IS WORRISOME. UNIVERSAL PRE-CARE CARES A PRICE TAG OF UP TO 140 MILLION DOLLARS. THE LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR IS ASKING LEGISLATORS TO TAKE A SMALL BUT SIGNIFICANT STEP TOWARD UNIVERSAL PRE-K IN MARYLAND. THE STUDENT WHO ENROLLS IN A PRE-K PROGRAM IS LESS LIKELY TO DROP OUT OF SCHOOL AND LESS LIKELY TO REPEAT A GRADE DOWN THE LINE. IT IS A PILOT PROGRAM THAT EXPANDS PRE-K OPTIONS FOR FOUR-YEAR-OLDS FOR FAMILIES THAT EARN $70,000 OR LESS PER YEAR. THE HOPE IS IT WILL BE BEEFED UP BY THE PRIVATE SECTOR. WHILE LEGISLATORS LOVE THE IDEA, SOME LOAD THE PRICE TAG OF THE ULTIMATE GOAL OF UNIVERSAL PRE-K , ESTIMATED TO BE UP TO 140 MILLION DOLLARS. NO ONE HAS IDENTIFIED A FUNDING SOURCE. WHAT IF WE JUST DID SOME REGIONAL SO WE CAN HAVE SOME DEPTH TO IT AND SOME BETTER OUTCOMES? WE WILL FUND FIRST THOSE WE THINK WE GET THE MOST VALUE OUT OF. DOUG GANSLER HAS EXPRESSED CONCERN ABOUT A FUNDING SOURCE. IF WE LEGALIZE TAXED AND REGULATE MARIJUANA IN OUR STATE WOULD GENERATE 100 $87 MILLION IN NEW REVENUE THAT I WOULD DEDICATE A FUNDING UNIVERSAL PRE-K. MY CONCERN IS, OR THEY'RE GOING TO THEN BE STATE MANDATES? ANOTHER COMMITTEE ASKED, WHY DOESN'T THE BILL ADDRESS FUTURE FUNDING? THIS IS A PILOT. IT IS A MODEST FIRST STEP. I HOPE THAT FOR THOSE OF US WHO HAVE THE PRIVILEGE TO BE IN ANNAPOLIS NEXT YEAR, THAT WE TAKE A MORE ROBUST NEXT STEP. MOMENTS AGO THE GENSLER CAMPAIGN ISSUED A STATEMENT SAYING HE ABSOLUTELY SUPPORTS UNIVERSAL PRE-K AND HIS EARLY